A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted stealing cigarettes or cash from area QuikTrip stores five times.
Terrence Gleason, 52, of Bel-Ridge, pleaded guilty to three robbery charges and two charges of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted stealing cigarettes from or robbing three QuikTrip stores, including one in Bel-Ridge that he victimized three times.
On Dec. 5, 2021, at about 2:30 a.m., Gleason entered the QuikTrip at 9099 Natural Bridge in Bel-Ridge, walked behind the counter, and began filling a bag with cartons of cigarettes. When the clerk moved to activate an alarm, Gleason lifted his shirt to show his holstered firearm. The clerk put his hands in the air and Gleason left with the stolen cigarettes.
The next day at about the same time, Gleason returned. The same clerk was working. Gleason had one hand in the front pocket of his coat and the clerk believed Gleason was armed, based on Gleason’s actions the night before. Gleason demanded “all the Newports,” and put a bag on the counter. The clerk put seven packages of cigarettes in the bag. Gleason then said, “Come on bro, I know you got more than that,” at which point the clerk put six or seven cartons of cigarettes in the bag. Gleason then left.
On Dec. 10, 2021, at about 3:00 a.m., Gleason and another man entered the QuikTrip at 5909 Howdershell Road in Hazelwood. Gleason and the other man walked behind the checkout counter and began removing cartons of cigarettes. When that store employee walked behind the counter to trigger the alarm, Gleason’s accomplice pulled back his jacket, displayed a firearm, and said, “Press something, I dare you.” The employee backed up and put his hands in the air and Gleason and the man left with cartons of stolen cigarettes.
On Dec. 11, 2021, at approximately 4:12 a.m., Gleason returned to the Bel-Ridge QuikTrip, walked up to the counter, reached over it and opened a drawer where cigarette cartons were stored. He grabbed several cartons then approached the clerk who witnessed the two prior incidents and said, “I need Newports,” while grabbing at his waistband. The clerk believed Gleason had a gun and tried to comply, but then said they did not have any more cartons. Gleason walked behind the counter, grabbed several packages of cigarettes, and left.
On Dec. 12, 2021, at about 4:30 a.m., Gleason entered the QuikTrip located at 11150 St. Charles Rock Road in St. Ann and robbed the store at gunpoint, taking $85 from one cash register.
Gleason is scheduled to be sentenced on January 25. The first firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, consecutive to any other charge, and the second firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum consecutive term of seven years. The robbery charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
The FBI, the Normandy Police Department, the St. Ann Police Department, and the Hazelwood Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
